Characterization of Random and Multiblock Copolymers of Highly Sulfonated Poly(arylene ether sulfone) for a Proton-Exchange Membrane

Random and multiblock copolymers of sulfonated poly(arylene ether sulfone) (SPAES) were synthesized and characterized to compare the differences in the properties of proton-exchange membranes made with random and multiblock SPAES copolymers. Atomic force microscopy observations and small-angle X-ray scattering measurements suggested the presence of nanoscale, clusterlike structures in the multiblock SPAES copolymers but not in the random SPAES copolymers. Proton-exchange membranes were prepared from random and multiblock copolymers with various ion-exchange capacities (IECs). The water uptake, proton conductivity, and methanol permeability of the SPAES membranes depended on the IECs of the random and multiblock SPAES copolymers. At the same IEC, the multiblock SPAES copolymers exhibited higher performances with respect to proton conductivity and proton/methanol permeation selectivity than the random SPAES copolymers. The higher performances of the multiblock SPAES copolymers were thought to be due to their clusterlike structure, which was similar to the ionic cluster of a Nafion membrane. (C) 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 114: 1793-1802, 2009